It is no secret that some Jews and Christians conspire against the Muslim Ummah (Nation) in order to spoil their morals and principles. They spend their valuable time, sacrifice their wealth, lay out elaborate plans and fully utilize all their resources in order to accomplish this. Successfully, they have hit their target and wounded the Ummah deeply. It is from the unwavering characteristics of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) that he who works hard gets results and he who sows, shall reap a harvest. We are observing a new phenomenon recently that we never saw previously; we are seeing the different ways in which women are leaving their homes, uncovered and indecently dressed; we are witnessing people commit sins openly and unashamedly and even boast about them – and this is to say nothing of the trend of people casting doubts about the very fundamentals of Islam.
If we go back in time to just thirteen years ago or so, we will remember that high values and good morals were prevalent in our communities. Shyness and chastity were the common held values and it was easier for a young man to carry a mountain on his back than to be seen walk alongside an alien or non-related girl — and the consequences of being seen were even worse for the girl. If such people were to enter any neighborhood, the people would remove them by force and if they were to be seen by others, they would be looked at as being beneath contempt. Now, look at the situation through which we presently live and the diabolical low that we have sunk to and learn a lesson from that.
So, once again, we have the army of disbelief attacking us, propagating the celebration of a day — and what a deceitful and treacherous day it is! A day which they have given a name other than its actual one in order to mislead people, they gave it a noble name to deceive the pure and the chaste. They called it the ‘day of love’, while it is actually the day of immorality, prostitution and drinking. They spread immorality dressed in the garment of virtue and this is the age-old method that Shaitaan (Satan) uses. Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) exposed this tactic in His Book, the Holy Quraan, when He says regarding the deception of Shaitaan of our father Aadam and our mother Hawwaa’:
وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ [الأعراف: 21]
“He swore an oath: ‘I am one of well-wishers for both of you.” (Al-A’raaf 7:21)
Beware of the deceiver who approaches you with an advising tongue, for he knows that if he were to openly state his intention, he would never attain his objectives. Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) says:
وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ [الأنفال: 30]
“They were planning, and Allah was planning, and Allah is the best planner.” (Al-Anfaal 8:30)
One of the popular stories behind the celebration of Valentine’s Day — the deceptive day of love — is not known by many. Here is a brief overview:
It is claimed that pagan Greece used to celebrate on the fifteenth day of February every year which coincided with a spring holiday. At that time Christianity was new to the area. The emperor Claudius II forbade marriage for his soldiers. Valentine, a Christian priest challenged this command and used to conduct secret marriage sermons. He was soon discovered and was sentenced to death. While in prison he fell in love with the daughter of a prison guard, but this was a secret since Christianity forbade priests to marry or have romantic relations with women, but since he remained steadfast on Christianity, the people overlooked his crime of falling in love. The emperor offered to forgive him and make him one of his close companions and marry one of his daughters to him, on the condition that he gave up Christianity, but Valentine favored Christianity and was executed on the fourteenth of February, 270 CE — the night before the celebration of the Greek spring holiday of the fifteenth of February. Ever since then, it was called ‘Priest Valentine’s holiday’. After the spread of Christianity throughout Europe, February the fourteenth was re-named ‘Valentine’s Day’ in his memory because (they claim) he sacrificed himself for Christianity and fostered those in love.
That was the story behind this holiday. Unfortunately many young men and women were deceived by this, due to the weakness of their faith, ignorance of Islam, heedlessness and the lack of company of pious Ulamaa (Muslim scholars). The ignorant youth were hoodwinked into celebrating this day.
Among the manifestations of this day are the giving of red roses, the wearing of red dresses, and exchanging special greetings, cards and gifts. This is a day where one is ‘supposed’ to remember their wives or lovers. This day is so ingrained in western culture that remembering this day and celebrating it has become a sign of ‘true and sincere love’ and it is not uncommon for one who forgets about this day to be thought of as ‘insincere’ and ‘untrue’ in his or her love!
Every Muslim must know that celebration of this day was invented by the disbelievers and it is therefore unlawful to celebrate it according to the religion of Islam. There is no difference of opinion among the Muslim scholars regarding this.
In fact, even if this day was invented by the Muslims it would still be unlawful to celebrate it. Hadhrat ‘Ayeshah narrated that the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said:
مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ
“Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (i.e. Islam) that is not part of it, will have it rejected.” (Ibne Maajah)
Hadhrat Anas Ibn Maalik narrated that when the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) came to Madinah al Munawwarah, he found people celebrating a two-day memorial which dated back to the time of Jaahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic era). He said:
كَانَ لَكُمْ يَوْمَانِ تَلْعَبُونَ فِيهِمَا وَقَدْ أَبْدَلَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِمَا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمَا يَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ وَيَوْمَ الأَضْحَ
“’You had two days when you would play, but Allah has given Muslims something instead that is better than them: the day of Al-Fitr and the day of Al-AdhHaa.” (An-Nasaa’ee, Ahmad & Abu Daawood)
Ibn Hajar said: “It was extracted from this Hadeeth that it is not permissible to even be happy on any day which is celebrated by the disbelievers, and it is not permissible to resemble them. Shaikh Abu Hafs An-Nisfi went as far as to say: ‘He who offers an egg as a gift to a disbeliever in glorification of their day of celebration becomes a disbeliever’”.
So, if this holiday was invented by the Muslims it would still be unlawful to celebrate it. How terrible and how much worse is it then, when the innovators of such celebrations are the misguided disbelievers? It is enough of a burden on our Muslim brothers that they have to exert their maximum efforts in fighting the innovations that the Muslims have perpetrated, without having to come up against those which the disbelievers are concocting. Fear Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), seek His pleasure and stay away from that which earns His wrath.
Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) warned us from following the disbelievers or supporting them and commanded us to differ from them. He says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ [المائدة: 57]
“O you who believe! Do not take those who have taken your Faith in jest and fun for friends from those who have been given the Book prior to you, and the disbelievers. Fear Allah, if you are believers.” (Al-Maaidah 5: 57)
The Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said:
مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them (in the Aakhirah).” (Abu Daawood)
This day has its traces in Christianity and one who believes in any other religion should celebrate his own ritual days and not the holidays of someone else’s religions. Moreover, misguidance has many ways that lead to it, but the shortest of all of them is loyalty and love for the disbelievers. If there was anything that indicated loyalty and love for someone, it would be imitating them; and the surest sign of imitation of a people is to celebrate their events.
How can it be that a Muslim accepts for himself and his family the celebration of an immoral event innovated by disbelievers; Valentine’s Day, the claimed celebration of love? How can he allow his family to celebrate the day of a Christian priest, Valentine, who was cursing Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) day and night by saying: “He is one of three, He had a wife, He had begotten a son etc.”? Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) is exalted far above what they attribute to Him.
Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) says:
وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَلَدًا • لَقَدْ جِئْتُمْ شَيْئًا إِدًّا • تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنْشَقُّ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدًّا • أَنْ دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَلَدًا • وَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّحْمَنِ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا • إِنْ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدًا • لَقَدْ أَحْصَاهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدًّا • وَكُلُّهُمْ آتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَرْدًا [مريم: 88-95]
“They say: ‘The All-Merciful (Allah) has got a son’. Indeed you have come up with such an abominable statement, that the heavens are well-nigh to explode at it, and the earth to burst apart, and the mountains to fall down crumbling. For they have ascribed a son to the All-Merciful (Allah). While it does not behoove the All-Merciful to have a son. There is none in the heavens and the earth, but bound to come to the All-Merciful as a salve. He has fully encompassed them and precisely calculated their numbers; and each one of them is bound to come to Him on the Day of Judgment, all alone.” (Maryam 19:88-95)
Beware of being less concerned about Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) than the heavens, the earth and the mountains are. Beware that inanimate objects become better than you are, which will be the case if you are not concerned about this atrocious fabrication that has been made by the liars and continue to celebrate this and others of their holidays.
What kind of love is celebrated by these people who are the enemies of humanity and even the enemies of themselves? How many villages have they demolished? How many nations have they oppressed? How much wealth of innocent people did they seize and looted? How much destruction did have they caused? They oppress people in the name of ‘human rights’ and kill people under the banner of ‘protection’. How can one who manufactures weapons of mass destruction, then tries them out on the weakest people in the poorest countries, lecture anybody on love? How is it that one who sheds innocent people’s blood and increased the numbers of orphans and widows be an authority on love? As for the one who punishes the innocent simply because of others around them, due to a mere suspicion of their guilt, which is not even founded on any credible evidence, this person does not even know justice, let alone love! How can anyone believe that those who disregard covenants, breach agreements, break promises and transgress all boundaries know anything about love?
When did you know a wild beast to be tame? Do snakes deliver anything but snakes?
No matter how much the misguided talk about love, their crimes expose the reality of their intentions. No matter how much they glorify love, we as Muslims have a worthier to claim it. In fact our religion is based on it; it is a pillar of belief, whereby no one is a believer unless he loves Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam), Islam and all its rulings. No one is a true believer unless he loves his family, wife, and friends. Nobody can claim to be a believer until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.
A Muslim loves all that is good and the people of good, he wishes good for everybody.
A Muslim loves his parents and does not disobey them; he shelters them and never shuns or abandons them; he cares for them and never deserts them or puts them in nursing homes as people do in the West, the home of immorality and disbelief.
A Muslim loves his children and provides for them; he treats them fairly and equally and is a source of guidance for them.
A Muslim loves his wife and respects her; he does not humiliate or embarrass her, he fulfils all her rights that she has upon him and he will never abuse her.
A Muslim loves his brothers and sincerely advises them; he does not expose and advertise their mistakes, he keeps ties with them, protects their honor and dignity and never backbites or slanders them.
A Muslim loves his sisters in faith and protects them; he respects them by lowering his gaze in front of them and would never be alone with one of them in a room.
If you were to ask western women about their lifestyles, you would hear stories of misery and humiliation, abuse and exploitation. No one has mercy on them, neither their husbands, nor their friends – not even their brothers or sons. If the western woman were not able to feed herself of secure her means of provisions, she would find herself to be viewed as completely useless and an unnecessary burden; her rights are rejected by oppressive and unjust rules. This is the situation of anyone who does not live by the Book of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa).
To us Muslims, love has a great meaning as Ibn Al-Qayyim said: "For love and with love the heavens and the earth where created, galaxies formed and every aim reached its objective. Love is in the nature of people; it helped people overcome their shortcomings; it brought people close to Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa); through it people lived a joyful life, tasted the sweetness of belief and accepted Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) as their Lord, Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) as His Messenger and Islam as the only religion.”
Our Prophet, Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) set the very best example for love. Hadhrat ‘Ayeshah told of his lasting loyalty to Hadhrat Khadeejah. She said: “I was never jealous of any other wife of the Prophet as I was of Khadeejah, she died three years before the Prophet married me, but he would still mention her abundantly” and in another narration, “he used to slaughter animals and send the meat as gifts to some of her friends (after her death).” (Bukhari & Muslim)
This is well-founded love that is reflected by actions.
Out of concern for the Ummah, the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) guided to that which establishes love between them and explained that it is the means by which they will attain Jannah (Paradise). He said as narrated by Hadhrat Abu Hurairah:
لَا تَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا أَوَلَا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ بَيْنَكُمْ
“You will not enter Jannah (Paradise) until you have Iman (Faith) and you will not have Iman until you love each other. Shall I show you something that, if you did, you would love each other? Promote Salaam (Peace – the Islamic Greeting) amongst yourselves.” (Muslim)
The Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) guided us to another way to establish love amongst ourselves, as Hadhrat Abu Hurairah narrated:
تَهَادُوا تَحَابُّوا
“Exchange gifts, you would thereby attain love for one another.” (Al-Adab al-Mufrad)
He also said, as narrated by Hadhrat Anas Ibn Maalik and others that:
إِذَا أَحَبَّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَخَاهُ فَلْيُعْلِمْهُ إِيَّاهُ
“When one of you loves his brother, then let him inform him of it.” (At-Tirmizi)
There are many other Ahaadeeth which reflects his eagerness to spread love amongst the community as well as all the things that would lead to it. He would also warn against things that might weaken or obstruct it.
Some of the liars, the weak-hearted, the hypocrites and their arrogant and deceived followers evilly misuse this word (love) and attribute it to premarital love relationships, which are mostly experiences that are illusion-like and evaporate fast.